1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hydrogen-occlusion alloy regenerating apparatus, and particularly, to a hydrogen-occlusion alloy regenerating apparatus for use in fuel cell power generating system comprising a reformer for producing a reformed gas containing hydrogen from a starting fuel such as an alcohol, a gasoline or the like, a hydrogen reservoir having a hydrogen-occlusion alloy capable of occluding and releasing hydrogen, and a fuel cell to which hydrogen released from the hydrogen reservoir is supplied.
2. Description of the Related Art
The reformed gas produced by the reformer includes impurities such as CO, CO2, O2 and the like in addition to hydrogen as a main component. If the impurities are deposited on the hydrogen-occlusion alloy, the hydrogen-occlusion alloy is deteriorated, resulting in a reduced amount of hydrogen-occlusion and a reduced hydrogen-occluding rate.
A conventionally employed means for avoiding the deterioration uses a hydrogen-occlusion alloy that has been subjected to a plating treatment using Pd, Ni or the like.
In the case of the hydrogen-occlusion alloy subjected to the plating treatment, the amount of hydrogen-occlusion is large, as compared with a hydrogen-occlusion alloy not subjected to a plating treatment, but the amount of hydrogen-occlusion decreases with the passage of time. Therefore, the means for avoiding the deterioration due to the impurities is unsatisfactory. Also in the case where a powdery hydrogen-occlusion alloy is subjected to a plating treatment, there is a problem that the operation is extremely complicated.